Special Collections News

For decades, microfilm stations at local libraries have unlocked history for Georgians. Scanning through the old editions of newspapers preserved on film, a grandmother can find her favorite childhood dessert recipe because she remembered her mother read it in the newspaper, siblings can piece together their family tree and genealogy projects for the next generation, and schoolchildren can look up what happened in their town on the day they were born and how much groceries cost in the advertisements.

Since 1953, the Georgia Newspaper Project at the University of Georgia Libraries has microfilmed more than 100 community newspapers, providing free access to the stories of the state’s small towns, big cities, and close communities. But with an 11-year backlog and outdated equipment no longer in production, the future of the project is in flux, and librarians are seeking partnerships to transform the practice using 21st century technology.

A traveling exhibit at the University of Georgia Special Collections Libraries celebrates children from across the globe — including children from Athens area elementary schools — with portraits and insights into cultural similarities and differences.

The exhibit, entitled The Fourth Grade Project, features interviews and photographs taken by acclaimed artist Judy Gelles from 11 countries on five continents. She asked all of the students the same three questions: Who do you live with? What do you wish for? What do you worry about? Their varied stories touch on the human condition and urgent social issues.

The story of the Georgia Museum of Art isn’t only found in the art; it can be found in artifacts. Those historical records, photographs, and other memorabilia are on display at the University of Georgia Special Collections Libraries, as part of a campus-wide celebration of the 75^th anniversary of the museum.

This summer, the public is invited to trace the growth of the official state art museum by visiting the free exhibit, entitled It Goes to the People: 75 Years of Free Inspiration at the Georgia Museum of Art.­­

The University of Georgia Libraries will celebrate one of the newest members of the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame with a special family day, complete with children’s activities, crafts and free books for kids.

Through a $350,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the University of Georgia Libraries will partner with other academic institutions to expand a nation-wide online congressional archive with content from many of the nation’s most influential politicians.

Six student-curated exhibits on topics from 18^th century gardening to ballet and baseball cards are on display at the University of Georgia Special Collections Libraries.

Documentarian George King will discuss his 20-year journey documenting the life of contemporary folk artist and musician Lonnie Holley, during a free screening hosted by the Walter J. Brown Media Archives & Peabody Awards Collection.

The event, held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 2 at Cine (234 West Hancock Avenue), is free and open to the general public as well as UGA students, faculty and staff.

­Six University of Georgia faculty members have been chosen as 2023 Special Collections Faculty Teaching Fellows, a program designed to help instructors incorporate UGA Libraries’ archival materials and active learning strategies into courses.

Due to Spring Break and an upcoming network maintenance, library patrons may notice changes to service hours and access.

On Sunday, March 5, all library locations will be closed, and EITS maintenance may cause disruptions to online services the same day. This can include the ability to log in to the website at libs.uga.edu to access e-books and databases and place holds on books through the library's catalog.

Intersession hours will be in place for March 6-10. For the Main and McBay Libraries, locations will be open 7:30 a.m. until 6 p.m., with service returning to regular hours on Saturday, March 11.

The Miller Learning Center will be closed Saturday, March 4 and Sunday, March 5 and will be open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. March 6-10 before closing for Saturday March 11 and returning to 24 hour operations beginning Sunday March 12 at 1 p.m.